Market Access Network - General Overview

The Market Access Network is a system of roads and bridges within Lethbridge County that residents and business rely on. There are approximately 2,000km of roads and 167 bridges within the County. It is important that this infrastructure is safe and reliable for everyone- so producers can get their products to market, children can take the bus to school, and people can get to work every day. Over 20 percent of the bridges in Lethbridge County have reached their maximum age and are starting to fail.

In the above photo, daylight can be seen through holes in the structure of this bridge in Lethbridge County. It has since been repaired.

Public safety is a paramount concern and we need to ensure our bridges and roads are safe for all users. Most County roads were designed for the mobile infrastructure (trucks, haulers, etc.) of 50 years ago. Today’s heavy haulers, Super-B trucks, and other large equipment put much more pressure on these roads and bridges that were designed for smaller vehicles and lighter loads.

In order to keep up with the evolving agricultural sector, we need to reinvest in the Market Access Network to bring our roads and bridges up to today’s standards. Road and bridge closures disrupt daily operations and will create lengthy detours and decrease efficiencies. Reinvesting now will help ensure continued prosperity for producers and residents.